Two Legged Snakes by Dr. Ed Slack & Is He Lying To You by Dan Crum

Dr Slack has put together a book about manipulative people, how to identify then and how to handle them or protect yourself from their deceitful ways. We have all encountered the two legged snake at some point in our lives and for some you may be dealing with them right now. Many are easy to spot, but others trick us into false security and trust. Slack has combined simple descriptions of types and traits with humorous pictures. He also provides checklist to help you become a snake watcher and to teach you how to take control back from the users of the world. An interesting, fun and informative read. Four out of five stars.

Maybe I watch one too many crime shows (Criminal Minds, Lie To Me, etc.) but the concepts of profiling and figuring out people's "tells" is fascinating to me.  Dan Crum has put together a book that says it's to help women, but really the information and wisdom he imparts is knows no gender. He covers the subject matter clearly and concisely. The book's subtitle also implies it's just for dating. Again, the information Crum provides can help in all your interpersonal interactions. For those new to the dating scene it can be invaluable and for those who have been burned in the past  or who are less intuitive, it can give you some skills to spot deception. I found the book fascinating and was pleasantly surprised that it didn't have a "jaded" feel, that many similar books express. Crum does say that everyone is misleading at some point or the other in life, but by explaining which deceptions are meant to cause harm he gives you the tools to trust your own judgement. Even if you don't need this in your personal life, it's a fascinating book or decoding behaviors. Five out of five stars.

Reviews

Jumping on Water: Awaken Your Joy ~ Empower Your Life by Ted Karam

I have long said perception is reality. Each person has their own reality because they have their own perceptions. This book captured the essence of soul searching. Karam gives a fresh and easy to follow guide for making your life positive. Life and emotions are complicated and we can choose to let them rule us or we can take control and master them. Jumping on Water is a fabulous guide to teach you to become a master of your own journey. Karam will teach you how to take every experience, whether good or bad and find the positive in it by focusing on Who You Are, Why You Are here, What You Want, What’s Holding You Back and How To Wake Your Power Within. This isn’t just another self-help book, it’s a way to truly be alive. Five out of five stars.

Making Rounds with Oscars: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat by Dr. David Dosa
Cat lovers will rush to pick up this book about the endearing Oscar, who is known to comfort dying patients in their final hours. However, only a small part of the book is about Oscar. The real focus of the book is dementia and the experiences of the patients and families affected by it. I have to be honest and say that I originally wanted to read the story of this wonderful animal. But having watched my grandmother go thru this horrible disease, I was deeply moved by the stories of the lives Oscar and Dr. Dosa touch. If you know someone who has a loved one suffering through this, buy them this book. It has valuable insight that will help them cope. Five out of five stars.

In Honor of Satu Harris

Today, I discovered that a wonderful woman who photographed me last year for a local magazine was killed this past weekend by a repeat offender drunk driver. Satu was a tiny woman whose zest for life and positive attitude made her seem larger than life. I only had the pleasure of working with her one day, but in that short time er personality made an impact. That's the type of person she was. Although she was a 38 yr. old mother of three, she could easily be mistaken for a teenage. She was a ray of sunshine and this part of the world will be a little overcast without her in it. My heart goes out to her family.

Here are some of her sights:
Artist Bio
Blog
Facebook Memorial
Website (note her website is down right now)

A to Z Reflections

Monday is the official reflection post day for Arlee Bird's A to Z Challenge over at Tossing it Out. A Huge thanks to Lee for the challenge it has been fun and insightful. I have discovered many new and fabulous blogs and great people. This challenge was about more than getting us to think outside the box to come up with different post it was a way to shrink the blog universe down a little. It became a month long blog party with old friends and new. I have also learned so many new things. 

Looking forward to reading everyone's reflections. 

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As a second order of business, there are many things currently taking up all my free time in life right now so I will be blogging sporadically until things calm down. I will try to post atleast once a week until I have time to return to a regular schedule and it will probably be at the end of each week.

Happy Blogging Everyone!!